


Vox Populi

by Cerdic519



Series: Brexit And Beyond [3]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Bets & Wagers, Brexit, Drama, F/M, Family, M/M, Married Couple, Politics, Pregnancy, Surprise Ending, United Kingdom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-31
Updated: 2020-02-12
Packaged: 2021-02-25 10:34:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 7,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22494670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cerdic519/pseuds/Cerdic519
Summary: December 2019.It's three and a half years since UK voters told their politicians that they wanted out of the European Union but 1) clearly they didn't really MEAN that, 2) they were too stupid to understand what they were doing, 3) the Leave side made claims that were true but annoying, and 4) many of those who voted are dead now so their votes don't count. Hence Remoaner politicians (on both sides of the chamber) ignored the vote because they knew better, and also crippled the UK's negotiations with the EU then refused to allow a general election because the stupid people might vote the wrong way again. What did the plebs think the UK was – a democracy?Now Boris Johnson has replaced the feckless Theresa May and has managed to call a snap winter election – but will it deliver a decisive result? More importantly, will Castiel, once more in England to watch history being made, kill his husband Dean for being a Complete And Utter Bastard Of The First Order? Just how could the fellow be more annoying?Before the year is out Castiel will learn the answer to that last question (hint: it might just start with a 'Y', have three letters, one syllable and rhyme with 'guess').
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester, Sarah Blake/Sam Winchester
Series: Brexit And Beyond [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/986850
Comments: 81
Kudos: 10





	1. The Bet

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Chiefraz](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chiefraz/gifts).



> Published on Brexit Day and then daily.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Politics expert Castiel Novak makes what seems the safest of safe bets.  
> Ah.

**December 11**

Castiel told himself silently that his husband only did things like this to be annoying – well, more so than usual - and that surely their insurance company would understand if he told them that said husband had fallen in front of a London bus. And then been run over by the buses behind, because they always came along in twos or threes. 

Okay, he was very happy with Dean, but when it came to politics the guy was a dick! Castiel was (fairly) sure that his husband shared his own politics but Dean would deliberately provoke him at times by either praising the blond blowhard in the White House – seriously, how had that happened? - or worse, reminding him of an arguably less than successful wager between the two of them over the Brexit vote three years back. And worse, he would then throw in some remark about how people on his husband's side of politics seemed to ignore votes they didn't like and try to get them called invalid, even though as Castiel repeatedly told him they always did so for the public's own good. 

Only in the privacy of his own mind did Castiel ever admit how pompous and insufferably overbearing that sounded. Not that his keeping silent stopped the Smirk!

The two of them were unexpectedly back in England to watch the outcome of the general election which had been called by the new Conservative¹ prime minister Boris Johnson. British laws were weird but as far as Castiel knew, the prime minister had been unable to call an election until he had got the support of some of the smaller parties², which after several months of trying he finally had. It was to have been Castiel's cousin Balthazar covering the vote but after a rather unfortunate incident at a pro-Remain rally three days back involving him, three women, alcohol, a policeman, a Christmas decoration and a traffic-cone, he had ended up being deported from the Old Country. Even then he had tried it on with one of the female guards escorting him off the plane, which had resulted in him having to be rushed to hospital immediately. He had however survived; Castiel had been unable to disagree with his husband when he had snarked that you could not have everything. 

What you could have was a smirking husband who, having recovered from the terror of the plane journey (three slices of pie, since you ask), wanted as per usual to make a wager out of the whole thing. Castiel remembered losing the last bet and shuddered, if pleasurably. At least they had not had to cope with his insufferable cousin, although he might just send Balthazar a postcard.....

“The polls average out at a 20-seat Conservative majority”, Dean said. “But they say that with Brexit cutting across the usual party loyalties it'll be tough to call.”

Castiel sighed.

“That would put them on 335 seats”, he said. “Boris Johnson would still be vulnerable to those idiot extremists³ in his own party then. Anything 305 and below means the gamble has failed for sure, and his opponents will be able to form some sort of government and force through a second referendum.”

“Yeah, tell the people they got it wrong the first time and have to vote again”, Dean snickered. “Bet you wish you could've done that after Hillary! All those poor Hollywood stars who had to keep their word and leave when Trump won – oh wait, none of them did!”

It was damnably unfair of his husband to bring that up, Castiel thought angrily, especially as he was right.

“The polls say a vote now would get a Remain win”, he said, not glaring daggers at his husband.

“Wasn't there a poll on the day that said you were heading for a ten per cent win?” Dean asked with what was obviously fake innocence. “That turned out to be as true as that poll recently that said there was a majority for impeachment back home – until someone at the pollsters blabbed that they'd polled twice as many Democrats as Republicans.”

Castiel scowled at him even more. Trust him to end up married to someone with a good memory, at least when it came to things much better forgotten. And pie, of course!

“If they get 305 or less then you should pay a forfeit”, he said. “I'm thinking no pie for a month, and the money you'd have spent to charity.”

To his surprise Dean didn't even flinch. Worrying.

“Fine”, he said, “provided it's a soldier's charity that I get to pick. So that's thirty below par. If it's thirty above then _you_ should pay a forfeit.”

“Like what?” Castiel asked warily. He knew his husband!

“Wear an item of clothing I've picked out for you”, Dean grinned. “I'm thinking something red.... that will get your pulse racing!”

It was already racing, Castiel thought as he tried to steady his breathing. Damn sexy husband!

<>

<>

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _1) In 2020 terms, the Conservatives (blue) equate to the US Republican Party with just as many RINOs, Labour (red) to the Sanders wing of the Democrats including the mega-rich mansions and private schools, and the Liberal Democrats (gold) to the Warren Democrats but without the 1/1024th Native Americanism. The UK is divided into 650 roughly equal constituencies each of which returns one member. Many of these are considered 'safe seats' – or at least, they were....._   
>  _2) The Fixed Term Parliament Act. Prior to 2010 a prime minister could theoretically call a general election any time during their tenure so would often go to the country after four of the maximum five-year term if the economy was doing okay. This new law came about because of the Conservative-Liberal Democrat Coalition government that resulted from the inconclusive general election that year. It prevented the smaller party from going off in a huff and forcing an election at any time by insisting that a vote so to do had to have two-thirds of all MPs backing it. Ever since Boris Johnson had become prime minister that summer following the long overdue departure of Theresa May he had tried several times to call an election but had been frustrated by the other parties; only a surge in support for the Remain-supporting Liberal Democrats and Scottish Nationalists in autumn polling led to their agreeing to an election. The Johnson government is pledged to abolish this law._   
>  _3) The European Reform Group. They have a bizarre and frankly antiquated notion that just because the British people had voted for a total Brexit despite all the threats made against them, they should be given a total Brexit. How quaint!_


	2. After Sunset

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The last four hours of voting after which Castiel sees the exit-poll and.... oh!

**1800 (December 12)**

Castiel had just about managed to not smile at his husband's protectiveness as the two had gone around the capital that day. All those reports of rising knife crime in the city had made Dean very nervous, and he had glared so menacingly at one teenager on the underground that the guy had shot off to the other end of the carriage.

Castiel had dreaded taking over his brother's rooms – one never knew what horrors one might find in any post-Balthazar room - but Fortune had been with him. The hotel where the pest had been staying (not the Ritz but not far short) had clearly welcomed his removal - the manager had mentioned something about a staff party - and had asked if the two men would not mind using the spare set of rooms that his cousin had never used while they 'deep cleaned' the main rooms. Grateful for the guy's lack of detail both men had quickly accepted.

“Four hours till we find if the Brits really never never never will be slaves”, Dean grinned as they sat down to the first of many pizzas that evening. He loved this place, but then they had been so grateful to be rid of Balthazar that they had offered to do pretty much whatever the guys asked for.

Dean, being Dean, had asked for pizza and pie all night!

“Or we find that people know what's best for them”, Castiel countered.

Dean just looked at him. Somehow his husband just knew that he was thinking that he sounded just like someone recently around here....

“You dare say it!” 

That innocent look did not fool him for one moment. Castiel knew his husband!

<>

<>

**2130 (December 12)**

Half an hour to go, and Castiel was feeling more confident of the outcome after the news that turnout was a lot higher than had been expected, though still a bit down on the 2017 election. But then this was December.

“The one called by your Remoaner plant Theresa May”, Dean quipped when he told him that. “What did they say of her at the time? Yeah, the most wooden performance since Woody Woodpecker! She was basically Hillary without the charisma - or the thirty thousand 'accidentally deleted' emails.”

Castiel scowled at him.

“She did her best”, he said.

“To sabotage Brexit”, Dean finished. “Who the hell chooses 'Strong And Stable Leadership' as their campaign slogan? No wonder they called he the Maybot. And your side only did so well that time because they lied to the electorate that they would respect the Brexit vote, then went back on their word once they got their fat asses in power!”

Castiel scowled. That was totally wrong and.... and.... he knew that there was a good argument against it.

Somewhere.

He was sure that he caught his husband silently mouthing the word 'Balthazar'. He shuddered at the idea of becoming anything like his terrible cousin.

<>

<>

**2159 (December 12)**

Castiel was still confident as they sat in bed together, awaiting the close of voting. Today's last bunch of polls were still predicting a Conservative majority but only a small one, in the thirties at most. One or two were saying that the would miss out on a majority but, like May, be able to form a government as the largest party, but Castiel still had hopes.

“The big exit poll has a good record of being accurate”, he told Dean. “They've been less than twenty out in all the recent elections and were almost spot-on last time.”

“Twenty could still be the difference between you having to wear something red or not!” Dean snickered, reaching for a slice of pizza.

Castiel sighed and watched as the presenter went through their spiel as the countdown clock ticked painfully slowly towards zero. At least things should be clear a lot sooner this time round; there were 650 constituencies as against 382 voting areas so they were on average smaller, and once some of them started declaring they could look at the shift from the last vote two years back and whether that idiot Boris Johnson had got his majority or not. There was no way that he would get as high of eighty....

“Holy Pie!”

Castiel snapped out of his reverie at his husband's exclamation and stared at the screen. Moments later his stomach dropped.

'Projected Conservative Majority: 86'

“Rats!”

<>

<>


	3. News From The North

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first results come in – and they're mostly bad ones for Castiel.

**2319 (December 12)**

Nearly eighty minutes, Castiel thought exasperatedly. The record for the fastest declaration was forty-four; why were they all so damn _slow?_ The two constituencies in the running were not even marginal seats, dammit!

“Like the Brexit vote, the North-East cities of Newcastle and Sunderland have the first declaration”, Dean said, still smirking far too much for someone who wanted to get laid by his husband any time this century. “And we all remember how that turned out. But they say that Blyth Valley¹, just north of Newcastle, is trying to beat them both.”

“I'm sure the pollsters are wrong over that place”, Castiel said firmly. “It's part of the Red Wall² and the Conservatives would need a ten per cent swing to take it.”

“But they also say it's an area that voted Leave”, Dean countered, “and they'll do better in those areas. If the Conservatives do take it then those polls will be pretty much right... oh.”

Castiel looked at him sharply, and Dean gestured to the screen where the news ticker across the bottom was reporting.... a bundled recount at Blyth Valley.”

“Ten per cent?” Dean smirked.

Castiel thought again of that life-insurance policy.

<>

<>

**2327 (December 12)**

“At last, a result!” Castiel sighed. “Labour are down in Newcastle Central³ but not by as much as I feared.”

“That was a Remain area”, Dean pointed out. “Good to see that same gal who came out with the 'referandum' result three years back and sank your hopes then. Besides there are about four hundred Leave seats but only two hundred and fifty Remain ones.”

“It's a start”, Castiel said not at all defensively. “I'm sure that idiot Johnson will win a majority for his party, worse luck, but not over eighty.”

<>

<>

**2329 (December 12)**

Castiel stared in alarm at the result from Houghton & Sunderland South, which had come in only moments after the Newcastle one. This in contrast was a Leave area – and the Labour vote had tanked! Not enough for them to lose the seat thankfully, but well in line with that damn exit-poll. Rats!

“Funny how upset people get when you ignore the way they vote”, said someone who was at severe risk of being left behind in England. “You'd almost think they expect their votes to mean something. How very _deplorable_ of them!”

Castiel scowled. His husband was so not funny!

<>

<>

**2338 (December 12)**

Castiel knew that if the forecasts for that huge majority were right then the Conservatives would be expected to take Blyth Valley, even if that ranked down there alongside the Democrats winning Montana or the Republicans California in the Electoral College back home.

Damn and blast, the Conservatives _had_ taken Blyth Valley! With a majority of barely seven hundred, but a swing of ten per cent! Now he was desperate for the Remain areas to do better for Labour, or he'd lose his bet.

And be done for murdering someone for smirking too much!

<>

<>

**2345 (December 12)**

“Labour's Jess Phillips has called the result 'a punch to the stomach'”, Castiel sighed as midnight approached. 

Dean smirked.

“Wasn't she the one who called for a 'kindler, gentler politics', just after she'd said she'd happily knife her leader in the front?” he asked innocently.

Castiel glared at his bedmate. Damn Internet!

“Jeremy Corbyn looks like he has led his party to the worst defeat since the middle of the last century”, he said glumly. “There'll be many wanting to wield that knife.”

“Yeah”, Dean grinned, “but unlike his scruffy equivalent back home, old Feel The Bern with all his mansions and millions, Corbyn's crew have control of his party. And they're no more likely to give it up than Hillary is to come clean about all the skeletons in her cupboard.”

Castiel scowled at him. Smart-ass!

<>

<>

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _1) A semi-urban constituency just north of Newcastle, centred as the name suggests around the former coal-mining town of Blyth (population 37,000)._   
>  _2) The Red Wall was Labour's (seemingly) solid bedrock of support which stretched from Wales across the Midlands and North covering many areas that psephologists called 'the left-behinds', towns which were generally run-down. And unfortunately for Labour, many of which had voted Leave at the referendum._   
>  _3) An ultra-safe Labour seat, which possibly explained the lower than predicted swing. The risk of defeat for Boris Johnson was increased because the constituency boundaries were badly skewed in the opposition parties' favour, the long overdue rebalancing having been delayed for various reasons (this seat was 15% smaller than the average). Proposed changes as of 2020 will enact a law keeping all seats within a narrow population band except for the geographically isolated Orkney & Shetland, the Western Isles and the Isle of Wight._


	4. The Wall Comes Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More results, and Castiel's hopes are increasingly pinned on the Remain areas yet to declare.

**0009 (December 13)**

Castiel had that same, sinking feeling that he had had three and a half years back, that things were just not going to go his way tonight. And worse, he would not be allowed to murder the smirking idiot in the bed next to him for some strange reason! His life sucked!

“Ooo lookie!” Dean grinned, “Sunderland South. The Labour vote down by thirteen per cent!”

“But most of it went to that stupid Brexit Party so Labour kept the seat”, Castiel said not at all defensively. “Besides, the referendum showed that the North-East of this country is always a bit different. Labour will do much better in London and that projected majority will plummet. You'll see.”

He was sure that Dean muttered something along the lines of 'red and racy', but he could not be sure. Though knowing him.....

<>

<>

**0040 (December 13)**

Castiel's scowl only intensified when the BBC reporter, clearly with great reluctance, admitted that it looked like Boris Johnson had won his London seat¹. He could only hope that the capital would do what it had failed to three years back and save his bacon. 

“There are rumours that the Conservatives have taken Workington² across in the North-West”, Dean grinned. “Or is that just another area that's 'different'?”

Castiel thought that as they had done it to Balthazar, perhaps the Brits could be persuaded to deport his husband..... for Being Damned Annoying!

<>

<>

**0106 (December 13)**

Castiel tried to tell himself that it was not all bad news as he looked at the Nuneaton result, the first from the West Midlands area. This region was where he had some hopes that the Conservative charge against that Red Wall might falter, but going from a 4,700 majority to a 13,000+ one – it did not seem to be faltering that much.

And Dean could cut with whistling that tune. Someone was _not_ getting lucky in the morning!

Probably.

<>

<>

**0122 (December 13)**

The rumours had been true, Castiel thought with a sigh. Workington, a post-industrial town which had hardly ever been Conservative in its history, had gone blue and with another whopping ten per cent swing. What was wrong with these people that they did not know what was good for them?

He did not voice that thought, as the last time he had done so a certain bastard not very far away just now had actually come out and said that he was turning into Balthazar, and Castiel had needed a long session of being held to stop dwelling on about that awful prospect. Alcohol may or may not have been involved as well, although Castiel was sure that Dean must have drunk at least some of that bottle of whisky.

<>

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _1) Boris Johnson won with an increased majority (rare for the Conservatives in London) thanks largely to the decline in the Labour vote. His over 25,000 votes were 7,000 ahead of the opposition, as well as rather more than those of Lord Buckethead (125 votes), Count Binface (69), Yace “Interplanetary Time Lord” Yogenstein (23) and Bobby Smith of the Give Me Back Elmo Party (8)._   
>  _2) In most elections the media alight on one town that they deem typical of the times. For 2019 it was Workington, a post-industrial port on the Cumberland coast which had nearly always voted Labour but which had also voted for Leave in the referendum. This time they got it right; Workington was indeed synonymous of the crumbling Red Wall._


	5. Flashes In The Doldrums

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel gets some better news from the Remain areas of the UK.

**0129 (December 13)**

Castiel winced as the Darlington result came in. The North-East again and another seat that the Conservatives should not have had a prayer in but had somehow contrived to take. Then again it was a Leave area so clearly the people were not that bright.

He did not voice that thought to Dean, as the bastard had a bad habit of hoarding tweets and articles from Castiel's political friends which.... well, he would not exactly have questioned these people's sanity but... all right, they were right up with that stupid woman who had screamed at the sky during the blond blowhard's inauguration, which a smirking bastard of a husband had ever let him forget. Among other things.....

“I see the Extinction Rebellion people are being as apolitical as they always say they are, and holding a candlelit vigil outside the Conservatives' main office”, Dean grinned. “Maybe they've got an idea; you could try jumping up and down screaming 'not my result!'. That worked so well back home!”

And there it was, right on cue! Castiel glared at his smirking bedmate. He was so not funny!

<>

<>

**0145 (December 13)**

“Technically that's not a gain”, Castiel said not at all primly as the Conservative win in Peterborough flashed up, “since there was a by-election there.”

Dean sniggered.

“You mean the candidate who compared herself to Jesus Christ, then got caught for fraud and even thrown out of being a lawyer?” he snarked. “That's like being ejected from the Jehovah's Witnesses for being too intrusive!”

Castiel scowled. Damn Internet! And that was the East of England, another area where he was doing badly. Roll on London, that was all he could say.

<>

<>

**0150 (December 13)**

“Your so-called Red Wall is falling as they said it would”, said someone who was somehow contriving to become even more annoying as the night went on. 

Castiel glared at him. The Conservatives had just taken Vale of Clwyd² in north-east Wales, one of the areas on the fringes of the Red Wall that he had hoped might deny them, and the presenter had remarked that they were also set to take nearby Wrexham. Damn Welsh; they hadn't improved at all since 2016!

“The swing there was a lot less than in the North”, he said, not grasping at straws. “Aha!”

“What's up? Apart from me, of course!”

Castiel felt entitled to that eye-roll.

“The Scottish Nationalists have taken Angus³”, he said. 

“Lucky Angus!” Dean grinned. “Serves him right for bending over in that kilt!”

Castiel just shook his head at him.

“The Conservatives will be all but wiped out in Scotland”, he said.

“But even the exit poll said they would be down to just a couple of seats”, Dean countered. “That's not going to save you from your red and racy fate.”

Castiel sighed. He had liked it much better when Dean had been politically ignorant and had just wanted sex all the time. Now he still wanted sex all the time but somehow also managed to be annoying on top of it.

<>

<>

**0153 (December 13)**

The predictions had been right about Wrexham, Castiel thought, a seat that had never been Conservative in its century-long history. But at least it had followed the pattern of the blue vote being a bit less than that dreadful exit poll. And he only needed a percentage point or two to get rid of that stupidly large projected majority. 

He brightened even more at the next result.

“At last, a Labour gain!” he crowed. “Putney, from the Conservatives. They say turnout is up in the capital.”

“That's London for you”, Dean said, looking at the map. “A Remoaner city, full of diddumses who can only accept democracy when things go their way. Like some folks back home I could mention.”

Castiel scowled. He knew that there was a perfectly good counter to that frankly weak argument.

Somewhere.

<>

<>

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _1) Fiona Onasanya. Castiel was wrong here as she had taken the seat in 2017, and became the first MP to ever lose her seat under the 2015 Recall Act after she had been convicted of lying to avoid a speeding charge. Labour kept the seat at the by-election in June 2019 in suspicious circumstances after severe irregularities in postal voting, but as per usual the authorities did nothing. The voters however, did._   
>  _2) The area around Denbigh (Dinbych), Rhuddlan and Rhyl (Y Rhyl), and the cathedral city of St. Asaph (Llanelwy)._   
>  _3) Much of the county of that name, including the towns of Arbroath, Carnoustie and Montrose plus some outlying parts of Dundee._


	6. Long Reach

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More results are not exactly going Castiel's way. And the Pope is not exactly a Buddhist.

**0200 (December 13)**

Castiel scrolled quickly down his screen. Down, down, down....

“You need to get to 136”, someone said unhelpfully. “The Conservatives just took Leigh, their 136th target seat. Created in 1885 and never, ever blue – _until now!”_

That was incredible, Castiel knew. People in places like Leigh, a small, run-down area on the edge of Manchester, just did not vote Conservative. They did not!

Except that today they apparently did. And a twelve per cent swing, worse than even that damn exit-poll had predicted. 

Rats!

<>

<>

**0211 (December 13)**

“Oh lookie!” Dean grinned. “More good news for me from north Wales, where your side just lost Clwyd South¹. The Red Wall is losing bricks all over the place.”

“I'm not supporting Labour”, Castiel said not at all mulishly. Dean snorted.

“They're your only hope of avoiding a whitewash”, he said, “but for some strange reason people are finding Corbyn as toxic as.... what was the name of that woman who stood for the presidency in 2016? You know us deplorables; we're basket-cases when it comes to memories.”

Divorce or murder, Castiel thought. Either would do at a pinch.....

<>

<>

**0221 (December 13)**

The few London results in so far had boosted Castiel's hopes as the Remain city had seen a slump in both the Labour and Conservative votes, although more the former than the latter. But then there was more bad news from the North.

“Blackpool South”, Dean said. “You'll never believe this, but your side went and lost that as well. Strange how people don't like politicians who say one thing and then do another.”

“Politicians have to act in the people's best interests”, Castiel said loftily, although even as he said it he thought that he sounded insufferably pompous.

Dean looked at him. Castiel could actually hear him thinking 'Balthazar'. He wondered if there was anything sharp in his bag....

“You really don't get it”, his husband said softly. “Once one side takes it into its head to ignore votes they don't like, what's to stop the other side from doing the same? Or back home, taking their states off to form a new country where they don't get ignored and told how stupid they are?”

Castiel scowled. He hated it when his husband was right! Guy might start thinking that he was the one in charge of this marriage next!

<>

<>

**0229 (December 13)**

Castiel swore to himself, but he knew that Dean knew from his look of triumph. He had had hopes that after the Putney result the Conservatives would lose a whole load of London seats, especially Chingford & Wood Green where a prominent Leaver had been targeted for decapitation². Unfortunately although they had slashed the guy's majority he had held on, which meant... something red in his future unless things changed.

Rats!

<>

<>

**0233 (December 13)**

“Good news at last!” Castiel exclaimed. “We held Canterbury, which it was predicted we'd lose.”

 _”We?”_ Dean asked far too innocently.

Castiel glared at him.

“The student vote won that for us, and that will make us gains elsewhere”, he said confidently. “That majority is headed south, you'll see.”

He yelped as he felt Dean's cold hand, which had also headed south, reach somewhere quite sensitive. Damn sexy husband!

<>

<>

**0241 (December 13)**

Castiel's brief happiness did not last. He had not been surprised to lose the marginal Wolverhampton North-East in the West Midlands, and at least the swing there had been less than he had feared. But just as he was feeling happier, disaster had struck.

 _”Redcar³?”_ he exclaimed incredulously. “That's impossible!”.

“That was 144th on the Conservative target list”, Dean said, as unhelpful as ever. “Even further down than Leigh. The sort of place where people would never vote Team Blue – except your side lost enough votes and we made enough to get in.”

Castiel sighed. That unexpected loss undid the good work of Canterbury. His night sucked!

<>

<>

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _1) The Dee Valley towns of Llangollen and Corwen, and the Wrexam suburbs of Chirk, Rhosllanerchrugog and Ruabon (Rhiwabon). A very small constituency like many in Wales; the Principality was overrepresented at the last redistribution of seats because the effect of the then new Welsh Assembly had not been fully taken into effect. It will likely lose eight of its forty seats at the next changes._   
>  _2) There was a formal 'Remain Alliance' between three of the smaller parties (Liberal Democrats, Greens, Welsh Nationalists/Plaid Cymru) where in some more winnable seats they would only put a single candidate up. There was also a strong effort against prominent Leave-supporting Conservatives for doing what people had asked them to do (ugh!), but although some majorities like this one were reduced it had little if any effect on the result. Notably the likes of the BBC were fine with the idea of Remainers 'decapitating' Brexiteers, although if it had been the other way round...._   
>  _3) A swathe of southern Tees-side stretching as far east as Marske-By-The-Sea, a depressed post-industrial area where the recent closure of a huge steel plant had made electing a Conservative seem impossible. The BBC tried to explain this as the people being desperate enough to try anything. Even democracy!_


	7. Mixed Bag

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The blue tide rolls on in most places, but there is also some good news for Castiel.

**0242 (December 13)**

As if he did not have enough problems, Scotland was letting Castiel down for the second time in three years (he had forgiven the first after his and Dean's romantic wedding at Gretna Green which reminded him; next month was the anniversary which meant time to dig the kilts out again). The Conservative vote there was holding up better than he had feared, but at least they had still lost Ochil & South Perthshire¹ as expected.

The problem as he had realized earlier was that for every unexpected gain or surprise hold they made there, he then needed another blue loss (or failed gain) to counter it. Preferably several as that projected majority was stubbornly not changing, but perhaps the BBC were just being cautious. They might even have overestimated it completely.

He said as much to Dean, who predictably sniggered.

“The exit poll was conducted by all three main media organizations, all of which hate the Conservatives”, he pointed out.

Rats!

<>

<>

**0245 (December 13)**

“That Remoaner presenter is a different one from last time”, Dean observed, “but like everyone at the BBC he hates the Conservatives. His face when he announced that they had taken Burnley looked as bad as Hillary's when Florida dared to go against her.”

“The BBC are pledged to be impartial”, Castiel said firmly.

“Then why did one of their former presenters admit that the day after the Brexit vote they were all sat around mourning, unable to cope with da bad people voting da wrong way?” Dean asked dryly. “Note that he only had the courage to say it once he'd retired.”

Castiel glared at him. The Internet had a lot to answer for, educating his husband like that.

“Oh, and you've lost Ipswich as well”, Dean grinned.

That _was_ bad, Castiel knew. Burnley, one of the depressed post-industrial towns in the North-West, should not have even been in play, but Ipswich was a growing town in the east where Labour had broken through in a mostly Conservative area. 

Except not this time.

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**0248 (December 13)**

Castiel's night did not get any better, and he was almost grateful to the BBC expert² who had been so snarky three years back.

“Demographic shift”, he said airily to his husband. “A seat like Bishop Auckland³ has become more Conservative inclined over the years because of people moving into the area. And it's in the North-East so it just has to be different.”

“Is that why the presenter looks like he's just been told he's getting a forty per cent pay cut?” Dean asked innocently.

Rats!

“Oh, and Team Blue have taken Ynys Môn⁴”, Dean said. “That's right at the end of your list.... yup, another one you should have held but lost to a whopping ten per cent swing!”

Castiel would have swung the laptop away from him, but that would have been petty and small-minded. Worse, it would have led to an even bigger Smirk!

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**0253 (December 13)**

“Another traitor bites the dust!” Dean smirked. “That Umunna fellow changed parties half a dozen times then ran off to what seemed a safer constituency, but still lost! Sucker!”

Castiel scowled. The Cities of London & Westminster seat was one of those he had expected to gain, but despite being a strong Remain area the vote had been split and the Conservatives had just managed to hold on. Things did not look good.

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**0310 (December 13)**

Castiel did not bother to hide his sigh of relief as the BBC finally, _finally_ reduced their projected Conservative majority down to 68, twelve below the danger line. Phew!

“You're not out of the woods yet”, Dean reminded him. “Loads of seats to still declare and lots of them are close.”

“That rat Johnson may still get his majority”, Castiel admitted, “but the smaller the better.”

“Not what you said after our last anniversary!” Dean grinned.

Castiel blushed fiercely, but he felt better as another vote went his way as the Liberals took Richmond-upon-Thames, even though that had been expected. London would save him this time.

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _1) One of those leftover constituencies to fill the gaps between others. The largest settlements are Alloa, Auchterarder, Clackmannan, Crieff and Kinross._  
>  _2) Sir John Curtice. Sadly he undermined a good night's work by instigating the claim, later repeated by many Remoaners, that Remain-supporting parties got more than half the vote. Assuming that all Conservatives were Brexiteers and all Labour supporters were Remain was like assuming every single person who voted for Trump or Hillary in 2016 did so because they absolutely adored their candidate.... exactly!_  
>  _3) Many seats take traditional names even though they cover much larger areas nowadays. Bishop Auckland (population 25,000) also includes Spennymoor (19,000), Shildon (10,000) and Barnard Castle (6,000)_.  
>  _4). The Isle of Anglesey, off the north-west coast of Wales. A constituency since it was enfranchised in 1536 under Henry the Eighth under the Anglo-Welsh Act of Union, but likely to be expanded onto the mainland at the forthcoming boundary changes as it is barely two-thirds the average constituency size. This was another 'Remain Alliance' seat where the Greens and the Liberal Democrats stood aside to give the Remain-supporting Plaid Cymru (the Welsh Nationalists) a clear run. However their vote rose by only about 200 and they came third._


	8. Swings And Roundabouts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Brexit factor is producing some strange results, and Castiel is not out of the woods yet.

**0318 (December 13)**

Castiel had thought Hillary's speech the day after that disaster three years back had been painful, mainly because it had been (and how 'someone' had managed to get a 'Sour Grapes' t-shirt at such short notice, God alone knew!). But this was something else. This guy was so far up de Nile he was surely at the river's source.

“That Corbyn fellow just doesn't get it”, Dean said, similarly stunned. “Worst defeat for his party in eighty years but hey, we won the argument. Next thing he'll be wanting a do-over because of Russian interference. Or going to court to try to overturn the result.”

He looked pointedly at his husband, who huffed at him.

“Stability?” Castiel ventured, again thinking how weak that sounded even as he said it.

“More like so he can shoe-horn in someone of his own ilk”, Dean grinned.

Castiel scowled. He so hated it when his husband was right!

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**0327 (December 13)**

“Now that's a symbolic one”, Dean said. “Sedgefield¹, where a certain Mr. Tony Blair was once the member of parliament with a solid five-figure majority. Another loss for your side.”

“We expected to lose that one because of demographic shift”, Castiel said dismissively. “Besides, it was a Leave-voting area.”

“Oh yeah”, Dean snarked. “More deplorables who didn't vote the way they were told to. Bad people! Spanky time!”

“The Victorians thought that men at college should have more votes because they were more educated”, Castiel countered.

“As yes, education”, Dean grinned. “The sort that makes you march in protest every time you lose a vote, and scream at the sky when you don't get what you wanted. Damn – that stopped working when you were three years old!”

Castiel scowled. Again.

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**0335 (December 13)**

The pattern of Leave-voting areas – which as Dean had quite unnecessarily said were much more numerous than Remain ones since the latter vote was concentrated in the cities – doing the wrong thing kept up, and Castiel winced as the Conservatives gained Don Valley² in the Yorkshire region, a seat that they had last held in 1922. Much as they hated each other's guts those idiot opposition parties should have struck a deal to oppose that idiot Johnson. This was the dreadful consequence.

“Great Grimsby³”, Dean said, gesturing to where Castiel had a list of projected Conservative gains. “You expected to hold that.”

He had, which meant that that damn projected majority would be edging up again. Rats!

London was generally a disappointment, as so far there had been just that solitary gain in Putney. The attempt to unseat the prominent Brexiteer Conservative in Esher & Walton⁴ had narrowly failed, although his majority had been slashed from over 30,000 to under 3,000.

It was still another place that had gone against him, though. Rats again!

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**0344 (December 13)**

“It's called schadenfreude”, Dean grinned. “Doubly sweet as she was the one who called this election.”

Castiel glared at him. Jo Swinson, leader of the left-wing third party the Liberal Democrats, had lost her East Dunbartonshire⁵ seat by barely a hundred in nearly twenty thousand.

“Technically it was Boris Johnson who called the election”, he said not at all sniffily.

“But the laws meant that he couldn't do it without her support”, Dean reminded him. “And she thought that as her party was much more pro-Remain than Labour, they'd hoover up votes and possibly even become the second party again. Seems those _deplorables_ out there had other ideas!”

“Their vote has actually risen by over three per cent”, Castiel countered.

“Their vote went down in 2017 but they got more seats, so now it's gone up and they're gonna get less”, Dean said. “Swings and roundabouts, just like life. Serves her right for introducing herself as 'the next prime minister'.”

Castiel had to admit that he was right over that; even Balthazar had been shocked by such a statement. He did not say anything, though. Dean was smug enough already!

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**0359 (December 13)**

Castiel had just endured that idiot Boris Johnson giving his acceptance speech having won his own seat – another place where the opposition had failed to get organized and what the hell was with some of the idiots standing against him?– when he at last got some good news.

“The Liberals have taken Watford”, he crowed. “An unexpected gain.”

“London effect and like Canterbury because of all the students there,” Dean said dismissively. “We all know how left-wing most professors are.”

“The young naturally favour socialism”, Castiel said.

“Until they run into that thing called life and realize that no-one owes them a living”, Dean countered. “And they end up screaming at the sky!”

Castiel reached for another coffee.

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _1) Another of those 'leftover' constituencies formed around Sedgefield village and bits that couldn't be fitted into nearby seats. Ferryhill and Sedgefield are the only places of any size._   
>  _2) An area centred around Conisbrough, covering the southern reaches of nearby Doncaster. This is part of the ancient hundred of Strafford, after which the famous advisor of King Charles the First, Thomas Wentworth, had taken his title._   
>  _3) One of the oldest constituencies stretching all the way back to 1295 when it had had two MPs (reduced to one under the Great Reform Act of 1832). It had last been Conservative in 1924._   
>  _4) Dominic Raab. A prominent Brexit campaigner, the Liberal Democrats came close to toppling him thanks largely to Labour not campaigning much in the Surrey seat. The combined red/gold vote would narrowly have succeeded in removing him._   
>  _5) Based around Bearsden, Bishopbriggs and Milngavie, covering an area north-east of the mess that is Glasgow. In one of those ironic twists the Liberal Democrat vote rose in 58 of the 59 Scottish constituencies – except this one that was lost by a whisker._


	9. Presumption

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The blue tide continues to advance, and someone's victory speech proves a tad premature.

**0408 (December 13)**

The pattern of the night had continued to be the Conservatives doing better than expected in Leave seats and worse in Remain ones so Castiel had kept a sharp eye on the second city, Birmingham, which had split almost evenly back at the Brexit vote (the bastards; they had been his last hope to swing things). 

“Birmingham Northfield”, Dean grinned. “Another Conservative gain.”

“We expected to lose that one”, Castiel said dismissively.

“But not by that much”, Dean pointed out. “It's going to be close to you losing that bet.”

Castiel was very much afraid that he was right. He had hoped for another revision – downwards, surely? - of the BBC predictions after the gains in London and the South-East, but for some reason they were holding back. Rats!

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**0414 (December 13)**

“Another large slice of that delicious Schadenfreude Pie”, Dean grinned. “One of those traitors who defected to try to block Brexit has found that the voice of the people, it say no!”

“Dominic Grieve did not defect”, Castiel said not at all testily. “He was thrown out of the Conservative Party by that idiot Boris Johnson.”

“Yeah, expecting a Conservative MP elected by the efforts of Conservative supporters to actually vote with the Conservative Party?” Dean grinned. “Tut tut tut, how unreasonable of all those _deplorable_ voters!”

Castiel looked around for something to throw at him. Unfortunately the only thing to hand was the pizza which he liked, and the coffee, which he ado.... quite liked too.

“And you've just gone and lost another safe Labour seat”, Dean pointed out. “Ashfield¹. Hey, I remember that name; that was the last place to declare three years back before the BBC had to call the result. You remember, the democratically expressed will of the people that your side all promised to respect before the election two years back?”

Castiel glared at him. Why did he have to be so.... right?

“Talking of people who don't get democracy, I see that Scottish leader is saying that she's now got a mandate to call another independence referendum”, Dean said. “You know, the Scottish leader who's a strong Remoaner and who called the 2014 independence referendum 'a once in a lifetime vote'. But I suppose that only applied if _her_ side won.”

Castiel glared at him. Again.

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**0420 (December 13)**

“Warrington South”, Dean said. “Another Conservative gain in the North-West – and this time one you were supposed to hold on to.”

Castiel had flicked over to the other channels' coverage of the vote but had found their guests appalling so was back with the BBC, noting that their projected majority was now seventy-two. Still too damn close for comfort, though.

“Oh this'll be interesting”, Dean said. “Kensington, a London marginal you're expected to hold onto. Plus another traitor; Sam Gyimah is standing for the Liberals here and he might split the vote.”

“That won't happen”, Castiel said confidently. “Emma Dent-Coad is well-liked there.”

“Yeah, and by the BBC”, Dean grinned. “We all remember how that 'impartial and totally randomly selected audience' of one of their shows all cheered when she won the seat last time! Even the Remoaner presenter was embarrassed at that!”

Castiel again silently cursed the Internet.

“Bit presumptuous of here to have already thanked the traitor for helping her get in”, Dean said.

His husband said nothing and they both watched as the result was declared. Castiel's stomach hit the floor.

“A Conservative majority of 150”, Dean smirked. “Another unexpected win for democracy. That eighty majority is back on the cards, _pardner!”_

Castiel was very much afraid that he was right. Not that he would have told him that.

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _1) The area around Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Sutton-in-Ashfield and Eastwood in Nottinghamshire._


	10. Countdown

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Less than a hundred seats left to declare, and Castiel's hopes are rising.

**0425 (December 13)**

A snigger from a little to the right of Castiel told him that another result had likely gone against him. 

“Totnes¹”, Dean smirked. “Bet you don't remember Dodgy Doctor Sarah Wollaston from three years back.”

Castiel scowled. On the screen a blond woman who had very clearly lost her seat was plastering on a bad fake smile as she shook the hand of the winner. The blue-rosetted winner. Rats!

“Who was she?” he asked.

“The Conservative member of parliament for that place, the Remoaner who was Cameron's plant in the Leave campaign so she could strut out halfway through saying that she had been 'convinced by the other side's arguments'. That after her massive contribution of one tweet to our side; how _could_ we have done without that? She jumped ship to the Liberals but now she's out as well, so that's another traitor biting the dust.”

The last Speaker² said that her sort were not traitors”, Castiel said stiffly. 

Dean snorted.

“The Poison Dwarf, who bent all the rules to stop Brexit?” he scoffed. “Come on, even you couldn't stomach watching him! She refused to call a by-election in her new colours 'because everyone must have voted for her personally'. Seems the guys and gals of Totnes had a different opinion.”

Castiel sighed. But at least that loss had been expected. Not that that made the Smirk any less annoying!

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**0433 (December 13)**

“We expected to lose that one too”, Castiel said, not at all defensively as another Labour MP bit the dust.

“But that was the third seat in Stoke”, Dean pointed out. “The sort of area your side had to win, yet you lost all three there.”

Castiel scowled again. There was no need for his husband to be so.... him!

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**0438 (December 13)**

“1919”, Dean said in a voice that was a smothering pillow away from being described as crowing. “That's a hundred years ago”

“What was?” Castiel asked, not at all testily.

“The last time Labour failed to win Newcastle-under-Lyme, up in the West Midlands”, Dean grinned. “The blue tide continues to flow.”

Castiel sighed. But at least there had been no more unexpected losses so the predicted majority was still only 72, and the number of seats left to declare was steadily ticking down. He was almost safe.

Almost.

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**0459 (December 13)**

Castiel glared at the screen. True, he had expected to lose somewhere like Bassetlaw³ but the predicted defeat had only been a small one and he had hoped that it might buck the trend and give him some more breathing-space. And stop the idiot next to him from smirking so much!

He was also hoping for world peace while he was at it.

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**0501 (December 13)**

Castiel winced at the latest BBC projection which had seen the Conservative overall majority edge up to 74. That had to be that damn Kensington result. And even worse, the Conservatives had unexpectedly held Banff & Buchan⁴ in Scotland which meant a likely increase to 76 before long. Rats!

“Getting a bit too close for comfort?” Dean smirked. “Terrible when us _deplorables_ vote the wrong way, isn't it?”

'Unlucky American killed after being struck multiple times by falling laptop', Castiel thought.....

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _1) A beautiful area of southern Devonshire which did not deserve such a traitorous MP. The seat covers Totnes, Churston, Kingswear, Dartmouth, Salcombe and Kingsbridge._   
>  _2) John Bercow. He was elected as Speaker after his predecessor Michael Martin had been forced to resign for trying to cover up the expenses scandal of 2009. Incredibly Gordon Brown's government found the one MP who was worse; the post had by tradition to go to a Conservative but everyone knew that Bercow had been about to defect to Labour a short time back, and only the sudden defection of a fellow Conservative had stopped him. During his period of office he repeatedly bent and broke the rules to suit himself and his cronies. His hatred of Brexit was legendary but when he started bullying MPs he too was forced out, and became the first Speaker ever to not get the obligatory peerage after retiring. He was paid £60,000 ($75,000) for his night's work being smug for eight (more) hours._   
>  _3) An area based around the towns of East Retford and Worksop. The swing here was greater because the outgoing Labour MP, John Mann, had been a very popular Brexiteer._   
>  _4) A beautiful, isolated area in Scotland around the towns of Banff, Macduff, Fraserburgh and Peterhead (Buchan is the name of the area around these two latter towns)._


	11. Stormy Weather

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A sudden and unexpected climate cataclysm (also known as an autumn storm) is about to prolong Castiel's suffering.

**0514 (December 13)**

Past five in the morning and Castiel was beginning to have an uneasy feeling that things were conspiring against him. True, the Scottish Nationalists had just taken the seat of Gordon¹ from the Conservatives but then that had been expected. Even worse was the fact that Team Blue had held five seats north of the Border, which was nudging him ever closer to losing that bet. He had hoped for more gains in London to counter this but the Conservatives had, against expectations, just held Finchley & Golders Green. 

_And to murdering his smirking husband!_

“You may have to wait a while to learn your fate”, Dean told him as his husband came back from the bathroom. “They've just reported that there are big storms off the Cornish coast.”

Castiel stared at him expectantly.

“So?” he prompted.

“That means the last seat to declare, St. Ives², will be late because they can't get a boat out to collect the ballot boxes from some of the outlying Scilly Isles”, Dean said. “And that's a marginal that you probably had hopes to win.”

It was, Castiel knew. Rats!

“And another of those Conservative traitors has bitten the dust”, Dean grinned. “Some smug bastard called David Gauke in Hertfordshire South-West³; seems like all those votes weren't for him after all. Colour me astonished!”

Castiel glared at him. Again!

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**0530 (December 13)**

The bad news conspired to get worse with another surprise result from the North-West.

“Bury North”, Dean grinned. “You expected to hold that.”

“We only lost it by 105”, Castiel not-grouched.

“Last election there was a seat was won by just two votes⁴”, Dean said. “A win's still a win!”

Castiel would have thrown his slice of pizza at him, but once again it was nice pizza. And yes, pineapple on pizza _was_ a thing so there! Dean could not have been more annoying....

“The Liberals just lost Carshalton & Wallington”, his husband smirked. “By about six hundred votes. In London. You know, the London where you were doing so well in and were sure you could stop the blue tide.”

On the other hand, perhaps it was possible for someone to suffocate while eating (or being force-fed) pizza!

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**0650 (December 13)**

Less than a dozen seats to declare, and that damn projected majority was creeping up again. Seventy-eight now, which meant that one more result against the trend....

“You just lost Cheltenham.”

Hell no! A Liberal seat which he had been projected to hold, but which too had gone west. And by less than a thousand votes, dammit!

“That's pushed the projected majority back up to.... ooo lookie, eight-zero!” said someone who was swimming back to the States if he kept this up. “Better get ready to pay up, _pardner!”_

Maybe Dean had got a red Stetson and wanted his cowboy fetish again⁵, Castiel mused. He'd actually enjoyed that himself, although never again before a work-day. He had to sit down as part of his job!

“And some woman from the Green Party has just started whining that the voting system doesn't give them a fair voice”, Dean said. “Strange; they were fine with it _before_ the election. Now where have I see that before; people of a certain political persuasion not accepting votes because they could have won on another system that they had been secretly in favour of all along but had somehow never got round to telling anyone? It'll come to me.....”

He looked pointedly at Castiel, who glared back at him. Snarky bastard!

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**0813 (December 13)**

“That's the penultimate seat”, Castiel sighed as the blue count ticked menacingly up to 364. “Arundel & South Downs. The sort of place where they don't count the Conservative vote, they weigh it.”

“Time for a nap then”, Dean yawned. “They said earlier that they won't start the St. Ives count until one, and only then if they can be sure that the island votes are on their way in.”

“I'll set the alarm”, Castiel said, reaching for the clock.

“And I'll be planning my celebration!” grinned Dean.

He could feel the disapproval even though his husband was facing away from him, and allowed himself a smirk. Guy didn't know the half of it yet!

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _1) The area around Ellon, Huntly and Inverurie in north-east Scotland._   
>  _2) The area around Penzance, St. Ives and Helston. The Scilly Isles is a small archipelago about thirty miles west of Land's End, population about 2,000. The islands had gone narrowly for Remain at the referendum but the Conservatives had held the seat in 2017 with a reduced majority of just 312._   
>  _3) The area around Berkhamsted, Chorleywood, Rickmansworth and Tring, in the Chiltern Hills west of London._   
>  _4) Fife North-East which includes the famous golfing town of St. Andrews, a rare gold gain on the evening. The Liberal Democrats technically finished down one seat on their 2017 showing of 12, but defections had pushed them up to 21 at the start of the campaign. For some reason the British public took badly to people who assumed that all the votes had been for the candidate because they were obviously so perfect, and not a single one of their defectors got back in. How weird!_   
>  _5) Unfortunately for Castiel, it was not the cowboy fetish._


	12. Scillies And Sammies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A boatful of ballot-boxes helps to sink Castiel's last hope of salvation, but at least Dean gets to see his moose of a brother and the latter's family. And there are thoughts of a different future.

**1444 (December 13)**

Castiel's hope was that this 650th seat out of 650 could be a rare instance where tactical voting, which had helped him win in Watford and come close in a few other constituencies, might lead to a Conservative defeat. Two years back they had won St. Ives by a few hundred votes in over 50,000, and the third-placed Labour candidate had got over 7,000. Surely he was due a break?

“Alan Bates, Labour Party, 3,553.”

Castiel felt his hopes rising. That was down by half; as in 2017 the bulk of those must surely have gone to the Liberals?

“Andrew George, Liberal Democrats, 21,081.”

Castiel's hopes sank back. That was eight hundred _down_ on the party's vote from last time. Surely not....?

The Returning Officer ran through what seemed an interminable list of minor candidates before reaching the last one.

“Derek Thomas, Conservative & Unionist Party, 25,365.”

The watching crowd erupted in cheers. Castiel just stared.

“The last seat”, Dean grinned. “Let me add that up.... yup, a total majority of eighty. So when we fly back, you'll be wearing something red that will get your pulse racing.”

It already was, Castiel thought. Damn sexy husband!

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**December 15**

Castiel was seriously thinking of the f-word. Especially after today.

Family, since you ask. Although with Dean......

He and his husband were staying the night back in the Radisson Hotel in Durham (which incredibly was even uglier outside than he remembered it, although at least someone had removed the excuse for modern art outside). They were spending a few days seeing Dean's brother Samuel and his family, and Castiel had if he was being honest been surprised at how good Dean was with his nephews and niece. Especially young DJ who even at three was already looking to grow into the image of his uncle and namesake.

Castiel wondered if the poor kid would have the same terrible taste in plaid shirts.

After they had got married he and Dean had had a conversation about having children and had decided that adoption might be the best way to go, but not until they had more money in the bank. Yet Dean had looked so happy playing with DJ and Castiel wondered.... their life was good just now, but could it be even better? Dean would make a good father, even if he made a less than good brother by wearing his kilt to the house and then telling his brother that he had to 'because all that cool air is so damn soothing!'.

Castiel was barely a week away from finding out that said bad brother and future father was more of a bastard than even he had thought.

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	13. Seeing Red

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel really should have known that with Dean, just when you think things can't possibly get any worse...

**December 23**

Dean was impressed. Castiel had maintained that scowl ever since he had seen what was in store for him, all the way through the airport and flight. Now they were walking through to the exits and he was still getting murderous looks from the man next to him.

The man wearing a MAGA hat! The one thing that he had once said that he would not be seen dead in! Dean was probably never getting laid again and he would have to quickly remove anything sharp from around the house once they got in, but it was so, so worth it!

“Things could always be worse”, he said, not smirking.

Castiel glared at him from under the hat. Dean could almost feel the daggers in that look.

 _“How_ could this be worse?” his husband demanded.

“Cooo-eee!”

Castiel went deathly pale and looked at the crowd of people waiting to greet those disembarking. Front and centre were.... yup, every single one of his friends. And his bloody parents, all of them flashing away with their phones!

He was going to _kill_ his husband!

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End file.
